1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof and, more particularly, to semiconductor devices using a transfer mold type power module and methods of manufacture thereof.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, a package type power module includes many fabrication process steps due to the need to seal a power semiconductor element with gel, resulting in the problem of an increase in component costs.
Because of this, there has been developed a transfer mold type power module in which a power semiconductor element is molded by the transfer molding method.
The transfer mold type power module is combined with a shielding plate, a control substrate, and a cooling fin, to complete a semiconductor device.
Prior art pertinent to the present invention is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-250890.
The use of the transfer mold type power module when fabricating a semiconductor device, however, requires a cooling fin or a temporary fastening member in order to fasten the transfer mold type power module, shielding plate, control substrate, and the like. And a semiconductor device is usually fabricated on the user side that prepares a cooling fin in most cases.
Therefore, when fabricating a semiconductor device, the use of the transfer mold type power module presents such problem as an increase in the number of fabrication process steps on the user side, when compared to the use of the package type power module on which only a cooling fin needs to be mounted.